Cleaning and Care
Modern and a fast way of living caused the creation of new types of flooring which remind of the wood warmth although they are not as expensive. They are easy to install and they do not demand much maintaining care. Companies have launched products which give the necessary elements to all types of laminates, PVC, linoleums and cork flooring. Their major characteristics hide behind impregnating formulae.
cleaning & care
They give special protection with highly efficient impregnating substances which enable a long term protection to floors sensitive to damp and dirt. Damp protection is enabled by the impregnation and the edges sensitive to damp are perfectly protected from unwanted swelling.
Cleaning and maintaining floors made of linoleum, cork and PVC
Laminate
Laminate coverings consist of a wear layer (deco paper steeped in melamine resin), a carrier layer (HDF, MDF or particle board) and a counteracting paper (balance paper or counteracting laminate). All of the aforementioned materials are either pressed in one operation during its manufacture (CPL laminate) or the wear layer is first pressed separately and then pressed again with the carrier and counteracting layer (HPL laminate).
Laminate coverings are hard wearing and are largely resistant to scratches, impacts and pressure.
Note: the joint edge areas of laminated floors are very sensitive to moisture. Penetrating water can cause the underlying carrier layer to swell. This swelling becomes visible in the area of the joint edges and normally remains as permanent damage. The floor coverings should thus only be cleaned and cared for moist (well-wrung mop) and never wet. Avoid puddles and standing water on the surfaces at all times.
Basic cleaner can be heavily diluted in water and used for extremely stubborn dirt, e.g. after renovation work. Wipe over moist.
Initial treatment: laminate coverings may not be treated with self-gloss emulsions, either pure or diluted, since these are difficult to remove with basic cleaner.
Interim cleaning: wet wipes can be used for fast interim cleaning. Take the wipe out of its packaging, spread on the floor and clean using a normal mop. Simply wipe over the dirty floor. The wipes can also be used in your hand.
Here is some useful advice on what to do in specific situations.
1. I keep getting streaks on my laminate floors. How can I avoid this?
Streak formation is often due to the wipes that have been used. For instance, microfibre cloths are often too moist when they’re used, which leads to marks when drying the floor. Sometimes it is helpful simply to use a different wipe, e.g. made of cotton. We would also recommend wiping in the direction in which the laminate was laid. Also, streak formation can be caused by overdosing. To avoid residues, stick to the recommended dosage of the product.
2. Can I use products undiluted?
No, you usually can’t. It is important that you use floor cleaners diluted in water. The regular application of water with products added to it has a impregnating and thus protective effects on the joints and edges. Your cloth should be no more than slightly damp.
3. I want my laminate to shine. What should I do?
Avoid the use of any kind of shiny coating on laminate flooring. Any coating that has been added would need to be removed again in a thorough cleaning process after a certain period of time. However, such thorough cleaning is harmful for laminate flooring.
4. Can I use products for parquets on my laminate floors?
No, because this is a compound that contains wax. The wax does not produce any benefit on a laminate floor, but may lead to the formation of a greasy film. The best method is to use laminate products diluted in the cleaning water, preferably right from the beginning, and to apply it with a slightly dampened cloth.
Linoleum
Linoleum is an elastic floor covering that is made from natural raw materials (oxidised or polymerised linseed oil, resins, cork or wood dust, inorganic fillers, colouring pigments).
Linoleum coverings have a moisture-regulating effect, are insensitive to frictional heat and are largely resistant to solvents and acids. However, they only have a very limited resistance to alkalis.
Basic cleaners can be diluted in water and used for extremely stubborn dirt, e.g. after renovation work.
Initial treatment: use shine products in preparation for initial treatment. Make sure the linoleum is left for a sufficiently long time to dry before initial treatment and later when removing old gloss layers since it is very moisture absorbent.
PVC
PVC coverings always consist of one or several similar PVC layers and are offered in single colours or patterns. PVC coverings are very hard-wearing, easy to clean and care for, but are sensitive to solvents.
Basic cleaner can be diluted in water and used for extremely stubborn dirt, e.g. after renovation work. Use cleaners undiluted to remove old gloss layers.
Initial treatment: shine products can be used to preserve or improve the shine.
Cork
Cork is the bark of the cork oak. Cork floors are offered as cork boards or cork parquet.
Cork is insensitive to solvents, elastic, warm underfoot and sound absorbing. Unsealed cork floors, however, are very porous and susceptible to soiling.
Note: cork coverings are sensitive to moisture and stains since the surface treatment cannot completely prevent the penetration of standing moisture over longer periods of time. The floor coverings should thus only be cleaned and cared for moist (well-wrung mop) and never wet. Avoid puddles and standing water on the surfaces at all times.
Basic cleaner can be heavily diluted in water and used for extremely stubborn dirt, e.g. after renovation work. Wipe over moist.
Initial treatment: shine products can be used on sealed cork floors to preserve their value and improve the shine.
Here are some useful tips on frequently asked questions about the care and maintenance of your floors.
1. The floor at my son’s nursery school is wonderfully shiny. I’ve got PVC flooring in my kitchen which I’d love to bring up to the same level of shininess. However, I’m concerned that my child might slip on such an extremely shiny floor.
A PVC or linoleum floor treated with a high-gloss floor care product is no more slippery than a floor that doesn’t shine at all. Basically, if a floor is still wet or if people have walked around with wet shoes, then this increases the danger of slipping. Before letting people walk on it, it is therefore important to ensure that the floor is completely dry. And if at all possible, try not to walk on such floors with wet shoes.
2. We’ve had new linoleum flooring laid in our house, but it’s a bit like laminate flooring, because it was laid in a click-and-lock process. What’s the best way to clean it?
Any floors that have been laid under a nut-and-groove principle are particularly sensitive to moisture around the joints and edges. The best way to protect those modern click-and-lock linoleum floors is to use special products for laminates from the very beginning. Wipe the floor thoroughly with a well-drained cloth that is only slightly damp. Regular use has an impregnating and thus protective effect on the joints and edges.
3. I’ve got unsealed cork flooring. What’s the best way to clean it?
Uncoated cork flooring needs to be protected with an impregnating product. Whenever you wet-wipe your floor, add some product to your water and make sure the cloth is only slightly damp.
4. Why can’t I use products for parquet on my cork floors?
Products for parquet contain wax that is unsuitable for cork flooring. The best way to clean a cork floor is to add some products for laminates whenever you give it a wet wipe, as this has an impregnating and therefore protective effect.
